Providence

Chapter Twelve Eli

My chest hurt. My eyes hurt. My head felt like a railroad spike had been driven through it. I wanted to scream, but that would only make it more excruciating. The only part of the moment that offered a grain of comfort was that I was still in Jared’s bed. I felt colder than I usually felt when waking up in his apartment, and I knew at once he wasn’t with me.

“Jared?” I rasped, unable to speak louder than a whisper.

I felt the bed indent beside me and I winced at the nausea the movement induced. The fissure I managed between my eyelids let in an infinitesimal amount of light and I cowered from it, bringing my hands over my eyes.

“I’ll get the light,” Jared spoke in a hushed voice.

The assaulting brightness that seeped through my eyelids faded and I tried again.

“Much better, thank you,” I whispered, pulling myself up on my elbows.

“I brought you breakfast.” Jared nodded to the bedside table. Two aspirin, a large glass of water and a triangle of toast sat on a plate beside my picture.

I forced a smile and immediately reached for the aspirin. Jared handed me the water and I tossed the pills to the back of my tongue, gulping down the cool liquid. It felt uncomfortable against my parched throat, as if my body wanted to reject any further fluids that might cause more anguish.

“I feel awful,” I groaned.

“I know.”

“I don’t usually get a hangover. I must have been absurdly drunk,” I said, rubbing my face with the tips of my fingers.

“You were,” he said flatly.

I sank into the mattress. “I’m sorry you had to babysit me. As if you don’t have to do it, anyway. I’m so embarrassed.”

Jared attempted a smile. “Don’t apologize for having a good time with your friends. It’s just…uncomfortable.” His eyes unfocused and his eyebrows pulled in.

“What’s uncomfortable?”

Jared rubbed the back of his neck. “This hazy, painful, tired, irritable heaviness you’re feeling.”

“Oh,” I breathed, still not understanding. I hadn’t considered that Jared would be sensing the same symptoms. I sank deeper into the mattress, feeling very selfish. “Do you have a headache?”

Jared laughed with a puff of air. “I don’t know. I’ve never had one before. I’m sure it’s a lesser version of what you’re feeling.”

I raised an eyebrow. “I thought it was faint, like a mosquito buzzing in your ear?”

Jared looked away from me, clearly troubled. “It’s getting stronger.”

“How?”

“I’m not sure. My father never mentioned our senses increasing more than what I’ve always experienced.”

“I’m sorry, Jared. I didn’t know or I wouldn’t have—”

“Hey,” he interrupted, “don’t worry about me. I just need to figure out what this is. It bothers me that I don’t feel one hundred percent.”

“Oh.”.

“What?” Jared asked, as if I’d pulled him out of a deep thought.

“The no-drinking policy. You feel off balance this morning and you like feeling in control all of the time.”

“You say it like it’s a bad thing,” he said defensively.

“You don’t have to be perfect all the time, Jared. It’s okay to let your guard down.”

I leaned in to hug him but he pulled away just enough to make me hesitate. As soon as he realized what he’d done, he seemed to regret it, which made him even angrier.

“You sound like Claire,” he snapped.

“Claire and I are in agreement on this one, then. You are half-human. It’s okay to make mistakes,” I said, my words more rigid than I’d meant them to be.

“Not for someone like me. Certainly not for someone that has the daughter of Jack Grey for a Taleh. It’s like you have no sense of danger, Nina. After everything you’ve been through lately, I don’t understand it.”

He mentioned my father to get a reaction, so I kept my temper in check. I raised an eyebrow at his mini-tirade. “Did I strike a nerve?”

Jared’s unending patience from the night before had run out. “If I let my guard down you die. Do you understand that?”

I took a drink of water and nodded. “We die.”

Jared took the glass from me and slammed it on the table. “Do you think I care about that? I would die for you a thousand times if I could. You’re the only thing that matters.”

I crossed my arms, incensed with his tender words mixed with their biting tone. “What is wrong with you? Why are you so upset?”

Jared leaned his elbows on his knees, looking to the floor. “I had company this morning.”

“I didn’t hear anyone come in,” I said, surprised.

“It’s because he doesn’t use doors. It was Samuel. He was a friend of my father’s. He’s concerned about the situation I’ve put you in.”

I held up a hand. “Back up. What do you mean he doesn’t use doors?”

“He’s an Arch.”

“An Archangel was here this morning?” I asked, mystified. “Do they look like Gabe? Do they look human?”

“Yes,” he answered.

“So if they look human, how do you know?”

“Archs have the same light hair, flawless skin, and the bright blue eyes, although Samuel and his family are the exception. They are nobility among the Archs, and are a contrast to the rest of them.”

“Contrast?” I had hoped I would learn to decipher Jared’s cryptic explanations, but I still failed consistently.

“He’s a Cimmerian, a line of dark angels. They are the strongest of Archs, they’re sovereigns and they’re warriors. They are assigned to those that are marked by Hell — the humans who are born to be stalked and tormented. They go toe to toe with demons quite frequently.”

“Oh,” I said, thinking about what kind of creature had been just a few feet from me while I slept. Anything built to wrestle demons had to be a frightening sight to behold.

Jared continued, “In addition to that, I can smell them a mile away. It’s very difficult for them to sneak up on us. Or each other.”

“Like fresh laundry, soap and a thunderstorm?” I asked, the corners of my mouth turning up.

Jared frowned for a minute in thought and then his mouth mimicked mine. “I hadn’t thought about it. To me it’s those things times ten. I would describe them as smelling like the cleanest air I’ve ever experienced.” After a short pause, he looked at me with curiosity. “What made you say that?”

I smiled, grabbing his hand. “That’s how you smell.”

“I do? Hmmm. Good to know,” he said, nodding his head in thought.

“So…Samuel…?”

Jared nodded, his eyes darkening again. “He’s noticed an increase in activity in the area.”

“What kind of activity?”

Jared swallowed and shifted closer to me on the bed, holding my hand tighter. “The Others don’t understand my draw to you…even with me being half-human. It’s interesting to them. So their visits here have increased.”

“But I haven’t…they haven’t bothered me.”

“They don’t engage us unless they have to.”

I swallowed. “So you’re saying when you’re near, they won’t hurt me?”

Jared’s eyes clouded over. “They don’t want to cross that line, trust me. They know better than to get too close to you when I’m near.”

“That’s why you had Claire sit with me the night you were with Mr. Dawson.”

He nodded. “I don’t want you to be afraid. It’s only an issue in my apartment; they’re drawn to the dwellings of Hybrids. Remember I told you that they’re attracted to those that are aware of them?” I nodded. “Claire, Bex and I, and those like us, are very aware of them. Our lineage enables us to see them even when you can’t. I’ve noticed more of their kind coming and going. They’re curious about you.”

I held his hand tight. “Should I be worried?”

Jared offered a comforting smile. “You let me do the worrying.”

I took a deep breath and nodded. “What did Samuel tell you?”

“They’ve noticed…,” Jared rubbed the back of his neck, “they’ve noticed that we’re spending more time together. Both sides. The Archs are unhappy about it. It’s unusual — and heavily frowned upon — to become involved with one’s Taleh. It’s considered more of a taboo than falling in love with a human. Even though I’m half-human, they find it irresponsible. Samuel is concerned that the Archs won’t be inclined to help if things get messy.”

“Why would we need their help? I thought you said they wouldn’t come near me when you’re around?”

“I’m not talking about a dozen or so Others, Nina. Samuel wouldn’t be concerned if it wasn’t serious.”

“How serious is it?”

Jared sighed. All of his energy seemed to have been sucked from him. “Hell is familiar with our fathers. Being their children in addition to our unique circumstance…we’ve become people of interest, so to speak. The Others made a game of trying to catch my father off-guard. With me having a stronger reason to protect you…,” he choked off. He swallowed and then began again, “Samuel came to warn me.”

“Warn you,” I repeated. My head was swimming with confusion and the whiskey still saturating my system.

“Our relationship could unintentionally provoke Hell.” Jared rubbed his temples. He was having trouble focusing as well. “Samuel informed me that the curiosity they already have, coupled with Jack’s death…we could have bigger problems than just the increasing visits.”

I shook my head. “What does Jack have to do with it?”

“The men that killed your father knew how to bypass Gabe because of who they work for. Those cops, and a few other enemies of your father’s, are employed by a man named Shax. Except…he’s not a…he’s not exactly a man.”

“He’s Other?”

Jared attempted a smile, but the tension on his face twisted it into something that resembled pain.

“Shax is a Duke of Hell. He is also a renowned thief and takes great pride in his spoils. Somehow Jack made an enemy of Shax, and I’m going to guess that he took something that Shax felt belonged to him. Not something you want to do to an aristocrat of Hell.”

I nodded, unable to speak in a calm voice.

“Samuel advised that we…see less of each other.”

“What? No! You’re not…you’re not going to listen to him, are you?”

Jared took my face in his hands. “I promised I wouldn’t leave you again, didn’t I?”

I nodded. “You did. You promised,” I said, more to myself than to him.

Jared returned his elbows to his knees and lowered his face in his hands. “I have made a mess of everything, Nina,” he groaned. “You’re in more danger than you’ve ever been. I see now why Jack forbade me to see you.”

I positioned myself behind him, wrapping my arms around his middle and pressing my cheek against his back. “So we have to jump through some hoops to be together. Who doesn’t?”

Jared twisted, looking at me with an incredulous expression.

I sighed. “For us to be together…it’s a miracle isn’t it? A Hybrid and his human, in love when everyone from Heaven to Hell says we shouldn’t be. The starvation of a multitude turned into miraculous fish, the enslaving of a nation brought on the parting of the sea, blind men to see, lepers healed, a mother’s grief brought back the dead…it takes a nightmare to earn a miracle.”

He laughed once. “In this scenario I’m the nightmare — you’re the miracle.”

“Jared?” I asked, pausing for a moment while I reconsidered broaching the subject again.

He sensed my trepidation and touched my cheek. “What, sweetheart?”

“What do you plan on doing with the information Samuel gave you?” I braced for his eyes to cloud over but to my surprise he smiled. His eyes even brightened a bit.

“We’re going to fight through the nightmare to earn the miracle, right?”

I smiled back. “Right.”

He kissed my cheek. “I’ll let you get dressed.”

“Are we going somewhere?”

“To see a friend,” Jared said, jogging downstairs.

I thought about that for a moment. “A human friend?”

“Negative,” I heard him say from the kitchen.

After my shower, I descended the stairs still feeling a bit woozy. I felt even worse for Jared, who didn’t even enjoy the debauchery before feeling the consequences of it.

Jared kept the accelerator to the floor, making the buildings of Providence blur by. I fidgeted with the temperature until finally resorting to the air conditioner. The stream of air blew against my face, and I closed my eyes.

Jared touched my knee.

“It’s helping with the nausea,” I said, knowing he would be just as relieved to have a small fraction of my symptoms alleviated.

The Escalade slowed to a stop beside the fence of an abandoned warehouse. We were just outside of town, no more than ten miles from Jared’s loft. I immediately felt a bit skittish, but the fear disappeared with Jared’s warm touch. He took my hand and didn’t let go as we hiked along an aging, gravel walkway and stopped at a gate harnessed with rusting chains. He pulled a key from his pocket and twisted it in the large vintage lock.

Jared pressed open the heavy gates and led me around to a side entrance, where he pressed a button on a small grey box. No one answered, but we were buzzed in.

Jared led me by the hand across the vast concrete. Pane after pane of glass lined the walls, shooting beams of sunshine to the floor through the decades of dust. He stopped in the center and smiled at me before calling out into the huge, empty space.

“Eli?”

We waited for almost half an hour. I wanted to ask Jared if he was sure his friend was there, but as long as he was being patient, I would play along.

“Oh, c’mon. She knows,” Jared said suddenly, rolling his eyes.

I watched him, the corners of my mouth turning up. It was amusing to see him talking to himself.

“Eli, we need to talk. You know she’s important.” He looked at me and then impatiently peered up to the extensive ceiling. “You’re being ridiculous!” he shouted into the air.

I stifled a giggle.

Jared turned to me. “What?”

“Nothing,” I said, forcing the corners of my mouth straight.

“Great. Now she thinks I’m nuts,” Jared called out to the massive room.

A tiny giggle escaped my throat, and Jared angled his neck to face me, attempting an insulted expression. He failed miserably when a wide grin stretched across his face.

“Admit it. It was funny,” a voice came from behind us.

I flipped around, instinctively hiding behind Jared.

A platinum-haired man stood in front of us with an amused smile. He was taller than Jared, though not by more than a few inches. I was surprised at the way he was dressed. I was expecting the crisp, white, buttoned-down dress shirt, but I hadn’t anticipated it un-tucked and the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, or the holes in his jeans, or the light brown leather sandals. I was certainly not expecting the faux hawk.

He surpassed attractive, and his physique was as incredible as Jared’s, noticeable even under his clothes. Even though he was fair, warmth emanated from his skin, almost a muted, dewy glow. His ice blue eyes appraised me, and then looked to Jared, who pulled me to his side.

“Eli,” Jared said, nodding.

“Yeah. There will be none of that nodding crap, Jared,” Eli said, pulling us both in for a hug. “How have you been? I assume the moping has ceased since you’ve found a way to finally introduce yourself?”

Jared nervously laughed, looking at me from the corner of his eye. “I’ve been fine, and you?”

“Heavenly,” Eli said, with a wide, dramatic gesturing of his arms.

Jared rolled his eyes. “Quit it.”

“Hello, Nina. I’ve heard…,” his eyes widened for a moment, “lots about you. It’s nice to finally meet you…formally.”

“It’s nice to meet you, too.”

I extended my hand and Eli took it, appearing pleased with my bravery. His hand felt normal, a little on the cool side. Not at all like Jared’s feverish temperature.

“We don’t have to run a fever to keep up with what we can do,” Eli smiled.

“Oh,” I said, nodding.

I looked to Jared, who watched me with an expression as amused as Eli’s.

“You were expecting a toga and a harp?” Eli asked, winking at me.

“Leave her alone, Eli,” Jared warned.

“I’m just having a little fun, Jay. You know I don’t get to do this often,” the angel said, letting go of my hand.

Jared turned to me. “Eli isn’t an Arch. He is the Angel of the Divine Plan. He watches over spiritual evolution, and when called upon by humans, he assists Him in helping humans to find the correct path.”

“Him? As in…your boss is…?”

Eli seemed bored with Jared’s explanation. “I am a traffic cop for the Archs and a glorified guidance counselor, Nina. Don’t let the title intimidate you.”

I tried to stifle a laugh, but the best I could do was to cover my mouth when I giggled. I had expected somewhat of a formal meeting, and Eli had gone from an ominous being to a pleasant surprise.

“I’ve started experiencing some changes in my senses, Eli. Do you know what that’s about?” Jared asked, impatient with the pleasantries.

“I do. Have you become physical with your Taleh?” Eli asked matter-of-factly.

“In what respect? If you’re meaning sex, then no,” Jared said, impervious to such a forward way of asking a delicate question.

I began to feel a bit dizzy by the sudden turn of conversation. I wasn’t sure how many times I could be taken off guard in my condition. Jared pulled me to his side, supporting some of my weight.

Eli eyed us speculatively. “In any respect, Jared. When you revealed yourself to her, the connection became stronger. As you spend time with her, it becomes stronger. Every time you touch her, it grows stronger. As your feelings for her deepen, so does the link between you. If you’re with her in an intimate way, the connection becomes a solid, permanent bond. There will be a noticeable difference in how you’ll sense her presence, her pain and her emotions when a physical commitment is made. You should keep that in mind. It could hinder your duties as her protector.”

Jared nodded, immediately taking Eli at his word.

“You mean he’ll be more susceptible to sickness and pain?” I asked.

“It’s certainly a possibility. Of course, those things would always be in connection with you, Nina, but only in theory. We don’t have much experience with this type of thing. The two of you are only our seventh case since the dawn of humans’ time on earth. And you would be the first half-breed/human case.”

“Hybrid,” I corrected.

Both Jared and Eli looked at me with a strange expression.

Eli smiled, clearly amused. “Hybrid, then. You’re right, that wasn’t very nice of me, was it?” he said, winking at Jared, who looked away, trying not to smile.

Jared cleared his throat, getting back to business. “I’m told we could have some legions to worry about.”

Eli looked up for a moment and then back to Jared. “So far it’s just the humans.”

“Is there something I can do to get them to back off of her?” Jared said with a noticeable change in his tone. There was a distinct edge of desperation to it.

“I’m afraid the damage has already been done, Jared. You were warned,” Eli said without judgment.

Jared glanced at me and then let go of my hand, walking away with his hands on his hips. He kept his back to us, looking down at his feet and then up to the ceiling.

Eli nodded at me with a patient smile. I forced the corners of my mouth to turn up.

Only Jared’s profile was visible. His jaws worked just beneath the skin. After several moments he began speaking in a language I didn’t understand. It was more beautiful than French or Hebrew; it was the most beautiful language I’d ever heard. The words came out of Jared’s mouth like a symphony.

Eli answered him in the same language, and then I understood. They were speaking the language of Heaven. After Eli’s lengthy response, Jared turned around with tears in his eyes.

“Can I do this alone?” Jared asked.

“None of us can do anything alone, Jared. That is why we exist in families.” Eli’s expression was calm, the opposite of Jared’s. I felt an overwhelming urge to go to Jared and hold him in my arms until the tortured look left his eyes.

Jared seemed to understand what I did not. He pulled me to him, kissing the top of my hair. I wrapped my arms around him.

“It’s going to be okay. Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out,” I assured him.

He smiled, but his face crumpled around it. “I’ve put you in serious danger, Nina. You’re father was right, I should have stayed away. I’m so sorry.”

I shook my head. “I’m not,” I said softly.

Eli sighed with satisfaction. “She’s a keeper, Jared. She has faith. Maybe it will rub off on you.”

Jared’s eyes softened. “Maybe.”

In the same moment, we were alone. We made our way back to the SUV, and then Jared opened my door, lifting me to the seat.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to move back to Andrews right now,” he said with an apologetic expression.

I touched his cheek, worried about his reaction. “Jared, I can’t keep staying with you. What will people think?”

He laughed once, but he was perturbed at my question. “I don’t give a damn what anyone thinks. I’m more concerned with keeping you alive.”

I smiled patiently and kissed his cheek. “I’m staying with you on the weekends, remember?”

“It’s not enough, Nina. I need you with me at all times.”

I raised my eyebrows in protest. “Well, you can’t. I have class…and friends. I have a life outside of this craziness. Jack didn’t move in with you, and he had more enemies than I do.”

“If my mother was Gabe’s Taleh, he would have moved her in. If Gabe had created a fun new game for a legion of demons to play, he would have moved her in,” Jared said, rubbing his forehead with his fingers.

“Do you have a headache?” I asked.

Anger exploded across Jared’s face and he walked away from me, paused a few feet away, and then walked back, still furious.

“Nina! For God’s sake, your life is in danger! And it’s my fault! Quit worrying about me!”

I sat there, stunned. Jared walked away, picked up a baseball-sized rock and hurled it at the warehouse. I lost the rock with my human eyes before it crashed through a window.

“Impressive,” I said.

Jared flipped around and seemed to contemplate yelling some more before wrapping his arms around my waist and burying his head in my lap. “Will you please take this seriously? Before I’m consumed with guilt?”

“Do you want me to be afraid?” I asked. Jared looked up at me with a pained look on his face. “Do you want me to be angry with you? Do you want me to scream at you and hate you for coming into my life?” I shook my head and cupped his cheeks with my hands. “I can’t do that. I know one way or another, everything will work out. It will.”

My optimism didn’t help Jared’s agony. His face fell, and he let his head fall to my lap again, pulling me to him, grasping at my back. I hugged him and touched my cheek to his hair. I didn’t know what else to do for him, but I refused to let my emotions betray me.

When the sun began to set, Jared’s head hadn’t moved.

“Jared, it’s getting dark. We should go,” I said, running my fingers through his hair.

After a few minutes, he stood up and slowly walked to the other side of the SUV, in no hurry to get back to town.

“I’m taking you to Brown,” Jared said, pulling away from Eli’s warehouse. “We’ll get the rest of your things, I’ll get you a dresser, make you some closet space….”

“Jared…no.”

His eyes darted to mine. “Nina, I’m sorry but this isn’t up for negotiation. I have to fix this, and then you can go back to Andrews.”

I kept my voice calm. “I’m not going to hide, Jared.”

Despite my quiet tone, Jared became increasingly angry. “I realize you haven’t a clue with what we’re dealing with here, but I’m telling you now: You’re packing, and you’re coming home with me. I don’t know for how long.”

I shook my head slowly.

His jaws tensed. “Nina, don’t be stubborn. Please trust me.”

“I do trust you. That’s why I’m not going to hide,” I said again.

He jerked the Escalade onto the shoulder of the road and shoved the gear in park. “I’m not asking, Nina. I am telling you. It’s that serious.”

I narrowed my eyes at him and he sighed, hitting his steering wheel with the heel of his hand.

“Don’t do this to me! It’s bad enough knowing I’ve put you in this situation without you refusing to let me keep you safe!”

“Jack didn’t want you to tell me the truth because he didn’t want this. He didn’t want me to live in fear or in hiding. If you lock me up you’re giving them what they want.”

His knuckles were white as they gripped the steering wheel. “What makes you think you know what they want?” His voice was low and deliberate.

“Because Jack wanted the opposite,” I whispered.

Jared stared at me, considering my words. “Jack wanted you safe. These things don’t show mercy, Nina. They don’t care that you’re an innocent teenage girl.”

I swallowed. “Eli said we were only dealing with humans for now. Let’s concentrate on that.”

Jared thought for a moment and relaxed a bit. “Okay. We’ll do this your way. While we’re still dealing with humans, you can stay at Andrews. The second Shax calls out even a fraction of one of his legions, you’re coming with me. And I don’t want to hear a single word about it.”

I nodded. “Fair enough.” I pulled my arms around me, bracing myself. My curiosity outweighed my need to remain oblivious. “What are Legions?”

Jared grimaced, obviously wishing I hadn’t asked. “Shax has thirty legions under his command. Don’t ask me how many demons that is. You don’t want to know.”

I nodded again, swallowing the bile rising in my throat.

“Nina?” Jared asked, feeling my forehead.

“I don’t feel well,” I said, reaching for the door handle.

I ran to the grass, hearing both car doors shut simultaneously. As soon as my feet touched the soil, Jared was beside me, pulling my hair away from my face. It didn’t take long for the dry heaving to commence; I hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast.

After my stomach relaxed and the gagging ceased, Jared lifted me into his arms and returned me to my seat.

“I’m taking you to the loft,” he warned, putting the gear in drive.

I was too exhausted and sick to argue.

Jared carried me up the two flights of stairs and gently placed me on my side of the bed. I let my body melt into the mattress while I listened to the water run in the bathroom. Moments later a cool, folded wash cloth was laid it across my forehead.

“Déjà vu,” I said.

“I wasn’t taking your condition into consideration when I drug you out to see Eli, and I should have gotten you something to eat. I’m sorry.”

“Quit apologizing. You didn’t force me to drink too much last night. How are you feeling? Like me?”

“I’m not sick, just uncomfortable. I’ll make you a deal. I’ll quit apologizing if you quit worrying about me,” he said, brushing my hair back from my face. I smiled but didn’t make any promises. Jared kissed my cheek. “I’m going downstairs to get you some crackers and soda to settle your stomach. Try to rest.”

“I’m really fine. You don’t have to fuss,” I said, pushing myself up against the pillows.

“I’m just trying to make you comfortable.” He had a strange expression on his face, almost sullen.

“Your bed is a thousand times more comfy than my bed at Andrews, and even my bed at home. And neither of them smells like you.”

Jared fidgeted before speaking. “So…why is it that you’re so against staying here? Is it me?”

My eyebrows immediately pulled in, hurt that he would ever come to that conclusion. “No! I’m not against staying here. I love staying here. I just need to go back to Andrews.”

Jared raised an eyebrow. “And why is that? I thought staying alive would be a good enough reason for you to want to stay here with me. You didn’t mind when I needed to dress your hand every night.”

“It’s not about that. It’s about being forced into hiding, it’s about my friends, and it’s about keeping some degree of normalcy in my life. I know you want me here where you know that I’m safe,” I explained, resting my hand on his leg.

“Not just to keep you safe. I just want you here,” he said, tenderly tracing my jaw line with his fingertip.

I smiled at his words, my jaw radiating with the heat from his touch. “We have plenty of time for that, right?”

Jared’s eyes immediately clouded over and I finally understood the urgency. He wanted to spend every second of the time we had left together. I looked away from him; I had to have faith that we would make it through this. My eyes felt heavy and I turned onto my side, pressing my cheek into my pillow.

“I have faith in you, Jared. More than you have in yourself. I’m not afraid,” I said, closing my eyes.

The door slammed and I jerked, looking around the room. It was morning.

“Can you close the door like a normal person?” Jared snapped.

“This is a terrible idea, Jared. Maybe the worst one you’ve had, yet,” Claire complained. Small footsteps stomped up the stairs. “You have to talk him out of this, Nina. He won’t listen to me. Not in the mood he’s in.”

“Stay out of it, Claire,” Jared said from downstairs.

Claire made a face and then jumped from the railing, landing on her feet. “I can’t stay out of it, because you keep making it my business!” she hissed.

I quickly dressed and met them downstairs. Jared was dressed in a buttoned-down shirt and slacks, holding a motorcycle helmet. He shoved it toward me without a word.

“What’s this?” I asked, staring at the helmet.

“I think better on my bike,” Jared said.

I looked up at him. “What’s going on?”

His expression didn’t change. “Are you coming or not?”

I looked at Claire and then to Jared. I pressed my lips together and then took the helmet from him. Claire sighed and stormed out.

I followed Jared outside and eyed the slick, black beauty parked on the curb. “What is that?”

Jared sighed. “It’s a Vulcan.”

“Weird. I thought it was a motorcycle.” I smiled, but Jared didn’t find humor in my words. I put up my hand and separated my fingers into a ‘V’. “Live long and…no?” I shook my head, seeing that Jared was in no mood for jokes.

I shoved the helmet on and fastened the chin strap. My father had a motorcycle and, although I’d never been brave enough to drive one, I was well-versed in being a passenger. Jared revved the engine and I climbed on behind him, glad that it was another nice day.

He raced down the street, taking various turns. It wasn’t until we pulled onto the sidewalk in front of Sovereign Bank that I understood the reason behind Jared’s mood. He lifted me off the seat as if I weighed nothing, placing me on my feet.

“Is there a reason you’re not speaking to me?” I asked, shoving his helmet at him.

“It’s not you that I’m angry with. It’s Jack,” he growled.

“Why?”

“Because he’s making it impossible for me to keep you distanced from this. They need both of our signatures. The box is in a special area. We need the key, our signatures and our fingerprints to get in,” he said, glaring at the door of the bank.

“But they don’t have my fingerprints.”

“I’ve never given them mine, either, but they have it on file,” Jared said, distant and cold.

“You tried to come here without me? Is that why Claire was at the loft?” I crossed my arms. “And let me guess, it just burns you that you needed my help after all.”

Jared’s eyes jerked to mine. “Is that what you think?” I stood with my arms still tightly intertwined across my ribs. Jared shook his head at me and held out his arm. “After you.”

We walked into the bank and a man in a stuffy and notably hideous light grey suit approached us.

“Mr. Stephens, this is Nina Grey,” Jared said.

The man held out his lanky hand and I took it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Miss Grey. Right this way.” He ushered us across the lobby to an elevator. Once inside, he used a small key to gain access to a lower floor that wasn’t on the button display.

The elevator opened into a cavernous room with an enormous bronze vault. Mr. Stephens briskly walked ahead of us, taking his place behind a tall desk with a computer. As we approached, he was tapping the keyboard.

“Miss Grey, I’ll need to see two forms of identification, please,” Mr. Stephens said, looking up from the monitor.

I shot an irritated look at Jared, realizing I’d left my purse at the loft. Jared reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out my wallet. I snatched it from his hand and then put my driver’s license and student ID on the small space in front of the computer monitor. Mr. Stephens’ eyes darted twice between my face and each of the cards and then nodded. I put the cards back into my wallet as he repeated the process with Jared.

“Miss Grey, there is a red pad in front of you. I’ll need you to press and hold your thumb there until you see a flash, and then I’ll need you to do the same, Mr. Ryel,” he said, watching us both follow his directions. “Now sign here and approve the date with the green button when you’re finished.”

I hastily signed and clicked the button with the pen, handing it to Jared, who signed his name under mine.

“And you have the key?”

“We do,” Jared said in a low voice.

“Right this way,” Mr. Stephens said, the vault automatically opening.

The room was filled with various sized boxes, all plated in the same bronze color as the door. Our steps echoed against the marble floor.

Mr. Stephens turned to us, pointing to a shiny golden square on the wall with a small black button in the center. “Press this button to let me know you’re finished. It was a pleasure doing business with you. Miss Grey…Mr. Ryel,” he nodded, leaving us alone. The vault door sealed shut behind him, and Jared’s eyes drifted to mine.

“Okay, he was creepy,” I whispered, half-expecting Jared to offer comfort.

Without a word, he walked ahead, pulling the key from his pocket. I scanned the boxes on the wall and noticed that the numbers were out of order.

“This is going to take forever!” I complained. Jared still didn’t respond, so I rolled my eyes and looked for box eight twenty-five.

Ten minutes later, Jared called to me. “Nina?”

I rushed toward his voice and found him in the back corner, looking at a bronze square the size of a shoebox. “Well, we should have looked back here, first. This is just like Jack, isn’t it?”

Jared still didn’t speak; he simply shoved the key in the lock and opened it, exposing a tan safe with a large black combination lock and handle on the front. He placed the safe on the floor at my feet as if it were a shoe box. I was sure it must have been at least fifty pounds, if not more, but Jared didn’t brace himself against the weight. The muscles of his arms didn’t even strain.

“The code is a combination,” I said.

Jared nodded, pulling out the wrinkled piece of paper from his inside jacket pocket. He read the code aloud and then looked up at me.

“Does that make sense to you?” he asked, holding out the paper for me to take.

825 2R2TL223TR05

“The eight twenty-five is the box number, and the rest is the key to the combination. But, combinations are just three numbers, one or two digits, right?” I didn’t look up, and Jared didn’t speak, so I wasn’t sure if he was in agreement with me or not. “So we need to figure out which of these numbers are the numbers of the combination. And the others are…what? Red herrings?” I shook my head. “No. Jack didn’t play games, these are all important.”

I concentrated on the dial of the combination lock, looking at the numbers and thinking about turning the dial to each number in the different ways they appeared in the code. I burst into laughter and looked at Jared with excitement.

“I’ve got it!” I smiled.

Jared masked an emotion, which in turn curbed my enthusiasm. It seemed we were back to square one of our relationship.

“You’ve got what?” he asked, his voice flat.

“The letters, the R T L letters, they mean right turn and left turn. Turn it twice to the right, stopping on two. Turn left twice, stopping on twenty-two. Three turns right, stopping on five.”

Jared shrugged. “Try it.”

My first inclination was to wad up the paper, throw it at him, and tell him to try it. My temper cooled as reason crept into my mind. I wanted to see what was in the safe, and he would catch the paper, anyway, even if I did manage to aim well enough to hit him.

I kneeled down and twisted the combination. I followed the directions, but when I stopped on the last number, it didn’t catch the way combination locks should.

My anger at Jared coupled with my frustration with the lock made my eyes water. When I tried to inconspicuously wipe my cheek with my shoulder, he sighed.

“Are you crying?” Jared asked.

I sniffed. “No. Leave me alone.”

“Try it again,” he said, indifferent.

I cleared the dial and paid close attention to each turn and stop, but when I reached the five, I passed by it once more. I had only passed it twice instead of three times. The lock caught and I gasped.

“It worked,” I whispered, staring in shock at the safe.

Jared pulled me off the floor and kneeled down to open the safe. He slumped over and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Damn it, Jack. What have you done?”